NPower: Unexpected massive increase in monthly paymnets

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hopperson
hopperson Posts: 44 Forumite
in Energy
My family and I moved house in July 2012 and soon after we switched suppliers from British Gas to NPower. As part of the switch NPower asked how much I paid monthly to BG for gas and electricity.

I told them £40 per month for each (so a total of £80 per month) which we had been paying in our previous property - a 3-bedroom semi-detached property. Our new home is a three-bedroom mid-terraced house, smaller in size.

For the months from July 2012 to July 2013 NPower have taken £80 per month out of my account. BUT I happened to check my bank account online this evening and was shocked to find that this month they have taken out not £80 but £314!!!

So I logged into my online NPower account and discover that the massive increase (I calculate as 390%) is the result of a six-monthly review to ensure I'm paying 'just the right amount'.

I've checked my emails and I have received no prior warning or notification about this review or the resulting increase in monthly payments.

There is no way I can afford to pay £314 per month - I could only just budget for £80!

Just wondering if anyone else has had similar experience and what action they took?
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  • JamesMason_2
    JamesMason_2 Posts: 55 Forumite
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    Do you read your meter?
  • jaybeetoo
    jaybeetoo Posts: 1,337 Forumite
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    What is the balance on your utility account?
  • sheffield_lad
    sheffield_lad Posts: 1,990 Forumite
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    Why not ring them? Take a meter reading and sort it out.
  • MarkBargain
    MarkBargain Posts: 1,641 Forumite
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    £80 is probably a bit low given price increases and the very cold winter, so you may have been underpaying for some time and they have hiked the price up to cover this, but even then it does sound rather extreme! Take your meter readings and phone them up to discuss it. Find out whether it is the gas or electricity causing the jump and look into further.
  • nPower
    nPower Posts: 1,319 Organisation Representative
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    hopperson wrote: »
    My family and I moved house in July 2012 and soon after we switched suppliers from British Gas to NPower. As part of the switch NPower asked how much I paid monthly to BG for gas and electricity.

    I told them £40 per month for each (so a total of £80 per month) which we had been paying in our previous property - a 3-bedroom semi-detached property. Our new home is a three-bedroom mid-terraced house, smaller in size.

    For the months from July 2012 to July 2013 NPower have taken £80 per month out of my account. BUT I happened to check my bank account online this evening and was shocked to find that this month they have taken out not £80 but £314!!!

    So I logged into my online NPower account and discover that the massive increase (I calculate as 390%) is the result of a six-monthly review to ensure I'm paying 'just the right amount'.

    I've checked my emails and I have received no prior warning or notification about this review or the resulting increase in monthly payments.

    There is no way I can afford to pay £314 per month - I could only just budget for £80!

    Just wondering if anyone else has had similar experience and what action they took?

    Hi hopperson,

    I'm sorry to hear about this. Could I get you to check a couple of things?

    Is your latest bill based on an 'actual' reading or an estimated one?
    The increase in direct debit should be displayed on your bill, which is your notification of the increase to your payments.

    If you'd like me to look into this more, please pop me an email (address is on my profile page) with your account details on and I can take a look.

    Kind regards,

    Adam :)
    “Official Company Representative"
    I am the official company representative of nPower. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE.
    If we ask you to contact us, please do so using helpandsupport@npower.com - MSE Forum has temporarily allowed the display of our contact details in our signature due to a technical issue with our profile
  • hopperson
    hopperson Posts: 44 Forumite
    edited 8 August 2013 at 6:49AM
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    Hi, can't find your email address in your profile, and can't send a PM to ask for it! :/

    **IT'S OK - FOUND IT! **
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
    edited 8 August 2013 at 10:36AM
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    hopperson wrote: »
    My family and I moved house in July 2012 and soon after we switched suppliers from British Gas to NPower. As part of the switch NPower asked how much I paid monthly to BG for gas and electricity.

    I told them £40 per month for each (so a total of £80 per month) which we had been paying in our previous property - a 3-bedroom semi-detached property. Our new home is a three-bedroom mid-terraced house, smaller in size.

    For the months from July 2012 to July 2013 NPower have taken £80 per month out of my account. BUT I happened to check my bank account online this evening and was shocked to find that this month they have taken out not £80 but £314!!!

    So I logged into my online NPower account and discover that the massive increase (I calculate as 390%) is the result of a six-monthly review to ensure I'm paying 'just the right amount'.

    I've checked my emails and I have received no prior warning or notification about this review or the resulting increase in monthly payments.

    There is no way I can afford to pay £314 per month - I could only just budget for £80!

    Just wondering if anyone else has had similar experience and what action they took?

    Do the terms of your agreement allow notices to be posted on your online account? If so, you need to check your online account regularly for notices.

    If not, and you are sure no proper advance notice was given, you are fully covered by the terms of the DD guarantee and can reclaim the £314 direct from your bank. If this applies, give your bank a call and they should reimburse you immediately :)

    Regarding changes to your monthly payment, see this article for advice:
    http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits#fight
  • hopperson
    hopperson Posts: 44 Forumite
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    Hi, apparently the online posting of the bill is the notification. But I haven't been online for a few weeks so didn't see it. However, NPower are supposed to send me an email whenever a new bill is produced. I have checked my inbox and deleted emails but there is no record if such an email being received. From looking at the bill it appears we were undercharged for the past six months (using figures from our previous property) and now we have to repay. BUT a 390% increase in monthly payments isn't something my wife and I can budget for, and means that 14% of our monthly net income goes on gas & electricity thus putting us in so-called 'fuel poverty'. With these repayments I'll be exceeding my OD limit with the bank every month and be charged for it...
  • little_miss_muppet_face
    little_miss_muppet_face Posts: 354 Forumite
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    Just to say I have a 3 bed semi ( with a box room too) and our monthly dd's are around £120 each utility so going by your £40 I think you may have been underpaying
    Hope you get it sorted
  • neneromanova
    neneromanova Posts: 3,051 Forumite
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    little_miss_muppet_face wrote: »
    Just to say I have a 3 bed semi ( with a box room too) and our monthly dd's are around £120 each utility so going by your £40 I think you may have been underpaying
    Hope you get it sorted

    I'm currently in a 3 bed semi and we currently pay £86 a month. I suppose it just depends how frugal you are with heating and things.
    What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine..
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